Michael Drejka, the white Florida man found guilty of manslaughter after fatally shooting an unarmed black man during a parking space dispute, has now been sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Drejka was sentenced Thursday and was originally facing a maximum sentence of 30 years behind bars, perNBC News. Prior to his sentencing, the victim's father paraphrased the Bible while noting that he had not come to a place of forgiveness for the man's fatal decision to shoot his son amid an argument over a handicapped parking space.
"In the Bible, it says in order to get into heaven, we must forgive those who trespass against us," Michael McGlockton—father to 28-year-old Markeis McGlockton—said Thursday. "At this point in my life, I am not there yet. And if it just so happens that the Lord chooses to take me before I come to terms with this, then I will see you in hell where you and I will finish this. Mark my words."
Drejka is described as a "wannabe" cop who had a habit of "monitoring" the parking spot in question, which was located outside a food store, the owner of which had requested that he cease this practice.
Ultimately, as Circuit Judge Joseph Bulone told the court, Drejka chose to act without reason or responsibility during the July 2018 incident. Per the report, Drejka approached McGlockton's car to check for a handicapped space decal, at which point he argued with the victim's girlfriend Britany Jacobs.
Jacobs, at the time, was in the car with two children while McGlockton was in the store. Once outside the store, McGlockton saw Drejka arguing with Jacobs, at which point he pushed Drejka. The man then pulled out a gun and shot McGlockton, who was unarmed and "turning away from Drejka" when the weapon was discharged.
